sprawl
Use Sprawl in a sentence
verb (used without object)
1.
to be stretched or spread out in an unnatural or ungraceful manner: The puppy's legs sprawled in all directions.
2.
to sit or lie in a relaxed position with the limbs spread out carelessly or ungracefully: He sprawled across the bed.
3.
to spread out, extend, or be distributed in a straggling or irregular manner, as vines, buildings, handwriting, etc.
4.
to crawl awkwardly with the aid of all the limbs; scramble.
verb (used with object)
5.
to stretch out (the limbs) as in sprawling.
6.
to spread out or distribute in a straggling manner.
00:10
Sprawl
is one of our favorite verbs.
So is hornswoggle. Does it mean:
| to bark; yelp. |
| to swindle, cheat, hoodwink, or hoax. |
Origin:
before 1000; Middle English spraulen to move awkwardly, Old English spreawlian; cognate with Frisian (N dial.) spraweli
before 1000; Middle English spraulen to move awkwardly, Old English spreawlian; cognate with Frisian (N dial.) spraweli
Related forms
sprawl·er, noun
sprawl·ing·ly, adverb
Synonyms
3. straggle, branch.
3. straggle, branch.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To sprawl
Collins
World English Dictionary
sprawl (sprɔːl) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | (intr) to sit or lie in an ungainly manner with one's limbs spread out |
| 2. | to fall down or knock down with the limbs spread out in an ungainly way |
| 3. | to spread out or cause to spread out in a straggling fashion: his handwriting sprawled all over the paper |
| —n | |
| 4. | the act or an instance of sprawling |
| 5. | a sprawling posture or arrangement of items |
| 6. | a. the urban area formed by the expansion of a town or city into surrounding countryside: the urban sprawl |
| b. the process by which this has happened | |
| [Old English spreawlian; related to Old English spryttan to sprout, | |
| 'sprawler | |
| —n | |
| 'sprawly | |
| —adj | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
sprawl
O.E. spreawlian "move convulsively," with cognates in the Scand. languages and N.Fris. spraweli, probably ult. from PIE base *sper- "to strew" (see sprout). Meaning "to spread or stretch in a careless manner" is attested from 1540s; of things, from 1745. The noun is first
attested 1719; meaning "straggling expansion of built-up districts into surrounding countryside" is from 1955.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Sprawl is one of those, all these decisions are with us for a long time.
We should also change our building codes and zoning laws to stop sprawl.
The proliferation of suburban development around city centers creates urban sprawl.
Many of the province's species are threatened by agriculture and sprawl.
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